Jump to content

NB 'Talpidae'


Moley

Featured Posts

Yes, very good. But what to do when you cant screw anything to the upper part of the cabin? At least not without drilling and tapping the steel sides. Fortunately the cabin sides are not to angled over. But still would be good to come up with a method of holding the curtains back? Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, very good. But what to do when you cant screw anything to the upper part of the cabin? At least not without drilling and tapping the steel sides. Fortunately the cabin sides are not to angled over. But still would be good to come up with a method of holding the curtains back? Any ideas?

 

 

Magnets?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is brilliant! What a superb idea!

Cheers, I'm on to it. :lol:

Bloody ugly though.

 

Instead of broom handles on anchor chain and damned great big screws into your woodwork, how about brass rod on bath plug chain, with more discreet fixings?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bloody ugly though.

 

Instead of broom handles on anchor chain and damned great big screws into your woodwork, how about brass rod on bath plug chain, with more discreet fixings?

 

No no. I have a brilliant idea using Bones' original magnet theme.

 

You'll see :lol: Trust me. :lol:

 

I'm sure Johns plan is best but not possible without drilling holes in the sides

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

In our shower room, we have the shower curtain going round on three sides - but this meant that the shower got really small with the curtain hanging in the way so we use magnets to hold the shower curtain tight to the wall giving us more space in the shower

 

 

As the come in lots of shapes and sizes - you can get them to match your decor :angry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you have and are doinga fantastic job, in relation the the cruiser stern, square shape, we looked at a narrowboat called murrymint with exactly the same stern and exactly same door places and where the steps are outisde of the cabin looked exactly same but was green

 

the boat murrymint we looked at was gbuilt by calcutt boats in 1985 and had been an exhire boat, when was your boat built

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the boat murrymint we looked at was built by calcutt boats in 1985 and had been an exhire boat, when was your boat built

Hi adendri, thanks for the comments, and welcome to the forum.

 

Won't be able to tackle the outside of ours until next year, but there's much evidence of Calcutt Green in the numerous layers of paintwork (go back to page 3 and see Alan Fincher's pics at post#54). We think she was built by Colecraft for Calcutt around '81, and was one of ten to that size and design (so I'd take your '85 with a large pinch of salt, we were told '84 but it seems fairly common for boats, like other females, to lose a few years as they age).

Edited by Moley
Link to comment
Share on other sites

you have done fantastically, are you a trained carpenter, ??

 

how much do you rekcon you have spent doing it as i was thinking of spending £20,000 ona brand new either sailaway or one that has all steel done but not lined, then doing it myself but unsure of plumbers costs etc, because i would love the fact of having one exactly how i would want it but not paying£50,000+ for a fully fitted one froma boat builder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you have done fantastically, are you a trained carpenter, ??

Nah, a Graphic Designer.

 

But my late father (engineer) was a jack-of-all-trades, master of most, a bloke who could make, mend or modify pretty-much anything, and I watched and learned, and inherited an attitude of “yes, I can have a go at that.” My woodwork skills have come from him, and bits and pieces picked up from TV programmes, I'm quite capable and find it enjoyable.

 

I have said it before, but will give credit once again - I dread to think what sort of a mess I'd have got in without this forum.

 

With hindsight I should probably have started with a new sailaway rather than stripping out an old hull (though I never envisaged a total restore and refit), but I like the shape and proportions of this boat, high sides, narrow gunwales, and she's not a modern clone.

 

To date we've spent just over £5k on materials, fixtures and fittings, but I've done everything myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have said it before, but will give credit once again - I dread to think what sort of a mess I'd have got in without this forum.

 

Here, here! Theres a lot of useful people on here, I too woudnt have finished my boat with out you people!

 

To date we've spent just over £5k on materials, fixtures and fittings, but I've done everything myself.

 

Its amazing how it all adds up in the end, think I ended up paying about £8k all in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its amazing how it all adds up in the end, think I ended up paying about £8k all in.

Our spend includes insulation and lining, a new cooker and fridge, but don't forget I had things onboard I could re-use, so haven't had to buy stove, toilet, water heater etc. And we don't have a diesel stove, or calorifier, or radiators, and I've tried to be cost-conscious on materials, and gained free worktops and a job-lot of buckshee oak and maple, so we've probably got off lightly.

 

Adendri: thanks for the link, what a strange boat, not sure about the mock beams and country cottage look, but that's definitely the same shell as ours. And wouldn't it be terrible if we all liked the same things?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

For various reasons, like Mrs. Mole getting extra overtime hours most Saturdays (weekends ruined but moorings paid for), my mother to contend with every other Sunday, other stuff-to-do and general apathy through the cold months, the boat's not been used November to March inclusive, and damn-all's been done.

 

Over the last couple of weeks we've bought a new stove (the one which came with the boat is too big and will be more use at home) and last week I fitted that, finally got around to connecting up the chimney, and fitted a fire board to protect furnishings / bedding. Pics to follow.

 

Perfect 20:20 hindsight is a gift I'm sure many of us posess, and moles are no exception. Well some more pieces of the puzzle of our boat have fallen into place.

 

Among the bits and bobs acquired with NB were spare glowplugs. I realised long ago that previous owner probably carried them or replaced them when they didn't need replacing as the fault lay in the wiring, they weren't warming efficiently as they weren't getting power.

 

Another puzzle was why previous owner seemed to have a fairly large collection of alternator belts in various sizes and stages of wear (I just assumed he never chucked the old ones away just in case, or had some sort of rubber fetish). Also, there was a thick black soot over everything in the injin'ole, but the exhaust blows a bit, and previous owner admitted that he hardly ever ventured down there.

 

I changed the alternator last year, but it was a like-for-like replacement, dropped straight onto the existing bolts and used the existing belt. I've now found the reason for the ‘soot’.

 

From Banter thread:

Setting off from Kidderminster on Fridaaay, boat's first outing of the year, turned up the revs and got rattling screeching noises from injin'ole. Established that alternator belt was loose, tried to tighten, couldn't adjust any further, found rev range everything seemed happy with and continued. (Overnight halt).

Saturday: By now there wasn't much left of alternator belt, charge light was glowing dully, going out, coming on. Called at Limekiln, they don't sell them, continued to Oxley Marine. "Oh my word, I've never seen a belt that thin before, no we've not got one but I'll go and fetch one, will only take a few minutes".

 

Belts1.jpg

What was left

 

Suffice to say, the alternator belt which was on was probably too long in the first place, and having now worn down alarmingly had nestled about as far into the pulleys as it could go so that, even with alternator lifted to the maximum of its adjustment, nothing was turning properly, Bloke from Oxley reckoned it needed a 1025mm belt and went off to fetch. On his return I tried to fit it, and declared there was no way it would go on, it was far too short even with the alternator dropped as far as it would go. Oxley bloke felt around the alternator and said it wasn't all the way down, was catching on a bolt which was far too long. I removed that bolt, he found me a shorter one, alternator dropped another inch or more. New belt was still very tight, but he managed to get it on, I tensioned the belt and tightened all the nuts, paid up and we pressed on. Going up the Shroppie, for the first time ever, volts readings going into batteries were in the ‘on charge’ sections, and both needles approaching 14v when the revs were up.

 

By Sunday evening, returning back down the Shroppie, past Oxley and back to Wombourne, alternator was squealing again and volts readings were back down around 12v. Couldn't be bothered to look at it at the time, figured the new belt had just bedded itself in and put off to the next morning.

 

Bank Holiday Monday morning I was up bright and early, had a little walk along the towpath, then returned to ready for the off, check oil and re-tension alternator. Bu99er me, engine was covered in black soot. No, it ain't soot, it's ground rubber, the new alternator belt which has only done about 12 hours is worn right down! I re-tensioned it and thought “that's too far down into the pulley ‘V’s”, briefly fired up the engine and shut down immediately because of the noise.

 

Studying the situation and scratching my bonce, I realised that the alternator was out of alignment with the other pulleys (why didn't Oxley spot that?). Not a lot, maybe 2mm, but with the alternator dropped down much closer, the mis-alignment was more pronounced and the new belt had been grinding itself off on one side in its attempt to get into line. With it re-tensioned, it was only going to grind itself still further, and would not get us 8 hours home.

 

Belts2.jpg

Original belt outside, Oxley belt inside.

 

Knowing the area, I cycled up to the nearest garage, and found that the motoring section of their mini-market had car cleaning stuff, a few bulbs, and not a lot else. Certainly nothing like belts. I returned to the boat empty-handed. The nearest car spares shop I can think of is about 5 miles away, and I doubted if it would be open on a bank holiday. I 'phoned RCR. Not surprisingly, with everyone taking advantage of the fine weather and going out for their own first outings of the year, RCR were having a busy time. It took 2 hours for a chap to finish one call-out and get to me, by which time I had removed the alternator, found a few washers and lined everything up properly. He found an assortment of belts in his van, we agreed on a 1050mm one, I fitted it, tensioned and tightened up, he confirmed that everything looked and felt right, I fired up the engine, he confirmed that everything looked and sounded right, I paid for the belt plus a drink, and we got home with no further problem, by which time all batteries were up to 13.3 volts.

 

Ah well, more lessons learned the hard way :D

Will get a couple of spares before we venture out again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ade.

 

Looks like you have cured your alternator problems, but just a couple of points.

 

I have found that belt width is critical, in fact the correct one always appears at first sight to be too wide, when pulled onto the pulley it should sit a very small amount (1mm) outside the diameter of the pulley.

 

Temperature; it can get very hot around your engine, make sure the area is well ventilated and of course the alternator itself generates heat making things worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Thought I'd post a couple of pics, just because I've built something I'm pleased with, and to show that work has resumed.

 

Still loads to do, bits of trim missing, steps can now be clad in oak, auxiliary fuse box needs hiding, but where there was an old drop-leaf table there's now this:

 

Front inspection hole + stop tap + water filter hidden by sliding shelf + dummy drawer front.

 

12050701.jpg

 

12050702.jpg

 

12050703.jpg

 

Just a little note (as this can be read by absolutely anybody), the CDs are all dupes and no appliances / nothing of value are left onboard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just been reading through everything - I'm doing a similar 'strip everything out, clean up and start again' job, albeit on a 30 footer. All impressive stuff, you've done. I had a lot of cleaning up to be done - thankfully my engine area seems to be in better nick - but rusty cabin sides, which are currently being replaced, after that it's an external repaint then on with the fitout. And I smiled when I saw the hammerite - I got several tins for 7p each (Wickes sale cockup, but they decided that's what they'd charge me)!

 

I've had moments when I wished I'd just got a sailaway and had done with it, but the budget didn't quite stretch. Tortoise will be very much mine, with the amount of work going in - I'm sure you feel the same way. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

So how does a (you would think) relatively straightforward job expand out of all proportion, or is that just part of the joys of boat ownership?

 

I knew our exhaust was shot from the noise level and the amount of smoke in the injin'ole on starting or when cruising.

 

Our Company has just moved premises, and on our new industrial estate there's a very good exhaust chappie who will make or mend, rather than just selling you something out of a book. He has already fixed my car, so I decided it was time to get the exhaust off the boat and present him with the bits.

 

On unwrapping some of the fire tape, it was obvious from all the soot that there was a hole where the pipe met the silencer.

 

Exhaust3.jpg

 

Eventually I managed to get the old exhaust off, and unwrapped the rest, to find more perforations than a Tetley tea bag.

 

OldExhaust.jpg

 

With the exhaust out of the way, I decided it was finally time to get down and dirty and crawl into corners where man or mole has never ventured since the boat was built, and set to with scraper, brush and Dyson to remove rust and gunk and 25 years of crud.

 

Cleaned.jpg

 

followed by a liberal application of Vactan

 

Vactanned.jpg

 

Exhaust chappie said there was nothing wrong with the flexi coupling or pipework (other than needing a cleanup), so cut it shorter and welded on a new (larger) silencer for (I thought) a very reasonable 45 quid.

 

Anyway, the Vactan has done its job, I will get a decent bilge paint down soon, the new exhaust is in, doesn't smoke and is a fair bit quieter, but now I will re-wrap the new system (keeping the morse cables clear of the new silencer), replace the stern decking and add some soundproofing.

 

NewExhaust.jpg

 

Oh, and I broke the bilge pump float switch while I was straddling the prop shaft, so need a new one of those. Hey ho, it's all good fun, isn't it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With many thanks to Yamanx for supplying a sheet of phenolic ply at the right price and cut down to approximate sizes (as in, I had to trim 10mm off an end, or taper 30mm off an edge), we now have a new deck.

 

When we bought the boat, the stern deck was very tatty, so it was one of the first things I replaced, and I made a new deck out of Decking (the garden stuff from B&Q), thinking that Decking must surely be appropriate for decking. It isn't. It swells when it's wet and shrinks when it's dry, by quite a surprising amount, as in the deck is wedged solid when it's wet but there are half inch gaps between the planks when it's dry, and if it rains after a dry spell the bilge fills up rapidly. And then the edge nearest to the steps split off completely.

 

OldDeck.jpg

 

I just need to recess in some brass finger pulls, and it took me about 4 hours to replace, with hardly any wastage from an 8 x 4ft sheet, although the weed hatch end is in 3 pieces. It really shows up the bad paintwork though, which must be re-done if we get a prolonged dry spell.

 

NewDeck.jpg

 

Cheers Yamanx, hope we meet at a banter so we can chat longer and share a beer or five (to everyone else, we only met for 5 minutes in the piddling rain).

 

PS: The joins were clearly visible when I took the pic because I've rounded off the corners with a router, and the old deck is being dismantled and chopped up for firewood.

Edited by Moley
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Well, I was hoping to repaint before our main hols, or at least to be able to finish off while we were away, but I underestimated the size of the job, or the amount of preparation necessary, and the weather didn't co-operate, but I'm getting somewhere now.

 

Anyway, our tatty blue boat

Paintjob1.jpg

 

(which has previously been several other colours)

Paintjob1a.jpg

 

first gained a red roof

Paintjob3.jpg

 

then some green bits

Paintjob2.jpg

 

then some yellow lines

Paintjob4.jpg

 

and some circles and diamonds

Paintjob8.jpg

 

and even, finally, a name (yes, I will finish the routed mahogany panels one day, but I know a man who has a large format vinyl printer):

Paintjob5.jpg

 

I even flagged down 'The Black Cat' while on our hols as our rear fender was only being held together by moss.

 

Don't bother coming back at me with "you've missed a bit", I've still got to do the well deck area, the cruiser deck, handrails, lower tunnel band, etc., etc., etc., but as of this weekend, we felt almost respectable as we chugged down to Stourport and even had a pootle on the river.

 

Chugabout1.jpg

 

Chugabout2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.